Leader, Pastor, Friend. Jonathan cares deeply for others, accepting people for who they are. Yet, he has wrestled with accepting who he is. We had the honor to hear about what he's been wrestling through.

Photographer, giver, friend. Perry constantly seeks to pursue his dreams of photography and give back along the way through his non-profit One Month to Give. We were able to hear a bit of his favorite advice.

Storytelling is the primary way in which we relate. To people. To brands. To products. But with stories being so integrated into our culture, why is it so easy to create a “story” that falls short, one that doesn’t connect with others?

I find that today there’s so many people today talking about story. Whether it’s a personal story, a brand story, or a corporate story. I think one of the key reasons that stories fall short is that they’re missing one of these three key aspects to a story. Here are three things necessary for an emotionally engaging story:

1. There needs to be a subject.
There needs to be a central character for emotional connection. This isn’t the montage video showing the company hard at work in all aspects with multiple interviews. This is one individual, sharing her heart for the company, her vision and hope, and ultimately how this company is changing the world.

2. There needs to be tension.
Too often we attempt to sugarcoat the challenges. When in reality we always root for the underdog. The one that needs to overcome. A story requires a challenge. Even if that challenge is something as common inefficiency.

3. There needs to be resolution.
It’s vital to establish a solution and resolution to the story. How did the persons desires and goals get achieved? How was the challenge overcome? Resolution doesn’t have to be a perfectly wrapped ending. It can still have unknowns and excitement, but it needs to bring about progress.

If you work to incorporate all of these elements in the next story you tell, you’ll find a significant increase in engagement and retention.

We're excited to announce that Jonathan Vinson is joining our team as a creative editor. Here's a bit about what's been on his mind lately.

“It is strange to be known so universally and yet to be so lonely.” – Albert Einstein

It has been integrated into our human nature to tell stories. From the first cave drawing, to the Jewish oral tradition, to novels, to films, and to commercials, storytelling is a timeless link to ancient traditions. It is our most basic form of communication – our most natural form of connecting.

Through story we share our sadness and our joy. Our dreams and our failures. Our insecurities and our pride. It is a way to convey purpose and value. Like Einstein, we all crave community. Not many of us fall into the category of being known universally, but we all long for meaningful companionship.

Studies have shown that being connected is linked with longevity and overall health. And a lack of connection is a greater health risk than obesity, smoking, or high cholesterol! Studies have shown that those who feel connected are more empathetic, confidant, and as a result, people are more willing to be open and trusting with them.

The psychology of story is so interesting to us because it is hardwired into humanity. It is how we interpret meaning, how we relate to others, and how we empathize. Story is how we connect.

Why do you think the greatest leaders of history relied on storytelling? Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I have a Dream.” Jesus’ “prodigal son.” Or even Charlie Chaplan’s “The Great Dictator.”

“When we tell and listen to stories, we move… to the more emotional centers of the heart and gut. It’s how we engage with our close friends and family, using a conversational, less formal tone. It’s a bit more close to being vulnerable, but also more human.”

To tell story is to connect. To tell story is to be human. What is your story?

As soon as Thanksgiving passes, everyone is focused on the upcoming holidays. However, some corporations are looking a little further ahead.

Slots for the upcoming Super Bowl on February 2^nd just filled up at a reasonable $4 million per :30. Yes, that figure represents 30 seconds. If you’re a latecomer but you still desperately want to get your commercial in there, then you’ll pay a meager $4.5 million per :30. There are still plenty of open slots for pre- and post-game advertising.

It’s up $.2 million from last year.

Neil Mulcahy, evp of Fox Sports ad sales (has one of the most envied jobs in television with an income of approximately $8 million a day) said to expect a few longer-form ads this year with a couple 90- and 120-second commercials.  We all remember the incredible Dodge Ram “Farmer” spot from last year. In case you’ve forgotten: please enjoy.

Neil said, “I think the autos totally have it figured out. They can measure the immediate impact they can get from their sales figures…and the return on investment is three times what they pay [for airtime].”

If you had to pay $133,000+ per second for an ad, you’re forced to consider the necessity of every moment to convey your story.

Considering the season, we don’t want to leave you without some holiday advertising.

Looks like a good use of a TV slot, right?

Preparing for a testimonial interview can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are a few tips that will help equip you to rock the interview!

1. Testimonials are stories. And stories have power. Don’t think of it like an interview. Think of it like a conversation. You get to share with someone how you or your business was impacted.
2. Plan spontaneity. Don’t memorize answers to possible questions. If you do, you will probably not sound authentic. Allow for genuine responses – the audience will recognize your passion.
3. Speak plainly. Don’t incorporate the last 10 dictionary.com words of the day. Don’t feel pressure to reinvent the wheel. All you need to do is share what you already know. So talk like a normal person.
4. No need to be nervous. “Understand that your interview will be edited.  The editor can choose to only use the good stuff. So don’t worry if you stutter.” If you can’t shake anxiety, watch an episode of Seinfeld or whatever it is that gets you relaxed. Drink a latte, talk to a friend, or listen to your favorite band. Loosen up and be yourself.
5. Don’t wear bright colors! A vibrant shirt will draw attention to your shirt, not your face. Wear mid-tones like blue, brown, or even as dark as black. Whatever you do, don’t wear a pattern (striped, checkered, even argyle) or you could end up like this guy, and that’s just embarrassing. Cameras sometimes have difficulty processing intricate patterns, so they end up looking morphed on video.
6. Clean your work area. Most filmmakers will want to get footage of you in your natural work environment (whether that’s doing a presentation, a sales pitch, or research). Make sure those areas are presentable.
7. Bring a water bottle. Your mouth will dry out quickly!
8. “Speak in complete sentences, and don’t rush.  Collect your thoughts and talk [at] a normal pace.  Most likely if you think you are talking slowly, it’s probably just right.”

Keep these pointers in mind when you’re preparing for your testimonial.

We had an amazing time in Haiti recently filming a piece for World Wide Village (WWV). We’d love to give you a glimpse at what goes into making something like this.

With a short documentary-style piece like this, you’re relying on interviews, b-roll material, and secondhand accounts. That means there’s no script. No script forces flexibility.

We had the honor of meeting with Pastor Joassaint, a Haitian pastor who has greatly impacted his community in Williamson with the help of WWV (who built him a house, partnered with him in the school, and from there how he's influenced the town).

From Minneapolis, developing the plot outline was relatively easy and straightforward. What Pastor Joassaint has done is powerful, and we were eager to show the house that WWV built for him and how he has partnered with them to create such an impact.

However, in Haiti, things weren’t as cookie-cutter as the plot outline (which is always the case). So, we had to adapt. We couldn’t get enough b-roll of him interacting with the community and portraying visually how he personally has influenced his community in Williamson.

We got some good footage, but were unsure if our original plot outline would be effective with the material we were able to collect.

Video editing is a huge part of the process in production. In non-scripted pieces, the story is usually molded in editing.

We compiled a folder of all the clips. After meshing the video and audio, roughly editing the English translator out of the clips, we re-watched the footage to get a better grasp on what material we had. We made a Word document and wrote down a summary of what was said in each clip.

We went through and read each summary to understand the content we had access to, strategizing how to structure the story. We organized each story element into sections and created a new story arc with the material we had.

It turned out much different than our original plan, but that’s the case with many projects, and it can always be reworked into something good, even if it’s not exactly how we had previously planned it.

The end result, after long hours in our editing suite, was a piece on the community, and Pastor Joassaint being a part in the growth and development with the aid of WWV.

Can you market your brand, company, or product in 30 seconds? How about 15? Or 6? Is video length a big deal?

With Vine hitting 40 million users late August, it’s difficult to make a case against the relevance of ultra succinct videos. But why are they so popular? Does video length play a role in potency?

The numbers suggest that it does. The video-viewing experience is drastically different than the traditional longer-form. The time cap on Instagram video and Vine forces its users to be ingenuitive.

Orson Welles said, “The enemy of art is the absence of limitations.”

Bored teenagers aren’t the only ones using these apps. Many businesses recognized the evolution and adapted quickly.

Target came up with a creative marketing idea using stop motion.

https://vine.co/v/hqDMIL0Xh96

Some businesses engage their audience in a conversation.

https://vine.co/v/brbbPp9KOY0

Instagram video gives a little more leeway with a 15-second time cap. Forever 21 launched a new social platform where people can have an interactive fashion experience, and are invited to share photos/videos of their outfits. This video helped introduce the campaign.

http://instagram.com/p/aze7_bqFA_

Many users are on the go, watching a couple videos while in line at Starbucks for their morning latte. They want short. Many phones with slower connections have difficulty loading a 30-second clip. A Vine or Instagram video is much easier for slow Internet and short attention spans.

These social media platforms are simply tools to support a broader marketing campaign. Marketing should always evolve with new media and their target audience.